The Armenian Genocide

It is important to recognize the Armenian Genocide as a pivotal turning point in the history of genocide prevention, international law, and human rights. In fact, Raphael Lemkin, who coined the term genocide, did so in response to the systematic massacres of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Students and teachers studying this history will examine some of the key challenges of the 20th and 21st centuries: genocide prevention, the dangers of nationalism, the limits of sovereignty, justice after genocide, and nation building.

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The shadow of a train that runs from Adana to Istanbul, Turkey, is seen projected on land between the cities of Konya and Adana, Turkey. A German company won concessions to build part of the railway (then called the Baghdad Railway) in the early 1900s, and in 1915 the Turkish government began to use it to deport thousands of Armenians to Syria.

This month marks 100 years since the start of the Armenian Genocide. This event raises important questions. How do historical events influence our identity and our perception of the "other"? Why do genocides frequently take place under the cover of war? What choices do individuals, groups, and nations have when responding to genocide and other instances of mass violence?

This map illustrates three prevailing aspects of the 1915 Armenian Genocide: the deportations, the massacres, and the concentration camps. The deportations affected the majority of Armenians in the Turkish Empire. From as far north as the Black Sea and as far west as European Turkey, Armenians were forcibly removed to the Syrian desert. From the onset the deportations were marked by atrocities.

This image, which is on the cover of Facing History's publication Crimes Against Humanity and Civilization: The Genocide of the Armenians was painted by the artist Arshile Gorky. It is based on a photograph of Gorky and his mother, Sushan der Marderosian, taken in 1912. Although Gorky is generally identified as an American artist, he was born Vosdanig Adoian near the city of Van in what was then the Ottoman Empire.

Enver, Ottoman Minister of War, served as military attache to Berlin prior to the coup when he became one of the triumvirate to seize power in 1913. Afterward, German-Ottoman military cooperation became official policy. Several officials discuss the "liquidation" and deportation of the Armenians.